Case Ref: 22 008 765 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• Within 3 months, the Council agreed to review the working arrangements between its housing and homelessness teams to ensure both teams are clear about the different responsibilities abd tgere are ckear escakation routes to resolve any disagreements.
• The Council agreed to review its record keeping and oversight arrangements within its homelessness team. It should ensure that, particularly in unusual cases such as reciprocal transfers, that key actions are recorded, monitored and that cases can be reallocated between staff without a loss of information
• The Council agreed to remind both education and children's services staff that parents may ask for EHC assessments in different ways, sometime without explicitly referring to an 'EHC assessment'. It should remind staff that if the Council requires a request to be made in a specific way, it should direct parents to that process when it is clear they wish to accesse it; and
• The Council agreed to remind staff responsible for responding to complaints: 1. .that where someone complaints about other Council services, the Council should provide a coordinated response to the complaint: and2. .the importance of responding within the timescales set out in the Council's complaints procedure or keeping complainants' informed where this is not possible

Case Ref: 22 004 599 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• The Council agreed to review the working arrangements between its housing and homelessness teams to ensure both teams are clear about the different responsibilities and there are clear escalations routes to resolve any disagreements.
• The Council agreed to review its record keeping and oversight arrangements within its homelessness team. It should ensure that, particularly in unusual cases such as reciprocal transfers, that key actions are recorded, monitored and that cases can be reallocated between staff without a loss of information.
• The Council agreed to remind both education and children’s services staff that parents may ask for Education Health and Care assessments in different ways, sometimes without explicitly referring to the assessment specifically. It should remind staff that if the Council requires a request to be made in a specific way, it should direct parents to that process when it is clear they wish to access it.
• The Council agreed to remind staff responsible for responding to complaints:that where someone complains about other Council services, the Council should provide a coordinated response to the complaint; andthe importance of responding within the timescales set out in the Council’s complaints procedure or keeping complainants informed where this is not possible.

Case Ref: 22 004 413 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will review its process for commissioning occupational therapist assessments and provide guidance to relevant staff about when and how to consider seeking specialist advice or commission a specialist occupational therapist to carry out the assessment.
• The Council will remind relevant staff of the need to keep clear records of the Council's reasons for refusing housing requests and to communicate its reasons to service users.

Case Ref: 21 018 402 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Transport

• The Council will amend its include information about when the blue badge assessment starts and ends.

Case Ref: 21 018 113 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to ensure its staff are aware council tenants can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant although this will be funded differently.

Case Ref: 21 012 559 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Residential care

• The Council will remind relevant staff to monitor the implementation of protection plans by care providers resulting from safeguarding operations. It will do this through a monthly audit of sample case records. The Council will provide us with evidence it has done so including one month of audit records.

Case Ref: 21 005 892 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to ensure frontline staff are aware that a homeless application can be made to any department and provide guidance or training as necessary.
• The Council has agreed to share this decision with staff in the relevant departments.
• The Council has agreed to provide evidence of the Council’s changes to policy and practice since the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, including evidence of any training or guidance for staff.

Case Ref: 21 003 804 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Looked after children

• The Council agreed to review the training and guidance it provides to its social workers supporting young people in care to ensure its social workers are clear about: the duty to provide personal advisers for young people before they leave care; and the different responsibilities that personal advisers have, if social workers carry out this role before the council provides a dedicated personal adviser.

Case Ref: 20 011 321 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council has agreed to provide training/guidance to relevant staff to ensure they provide clear evidence based decisions in line with the Ombudsman’s guidance on good administrative practice.

Case Ref: 20 007 776 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Antisocial behaviour

• Provide a reminder to staff to ensure outcomes of investigations following reports of noise and anti-social behaviour are communicated to those complaining.